June 29, 2000

Do you have big travel plans, for the holiday weekend? If you do... you're hardly alone. More than 37- million Americans... will travel more than 100- miles from home. It's predicted to be... the busiest Independence Day weekend, in 14- years. [BOXES] (**BOXES**) [CG=6-Salt Lake City] News Specialist Jed Boal... is ready to get a head- start on the traffic. You're leaving tonight? It's not easy to get a head start...the holiday has started for many. Triple-A says with the strong economy more Utahns will hit the road this year than they have since 19-86...even with expensive gas. More than a third of a million Utahns will celebrate freedom on the highway during the next five days. [SND UP] (*SND UP*) [RUNS=:01] Three percent more than last year...even though a gallon of gas will cost you 27 cents more. [SND UP] (*SND UP*) [RUNS=:01] [vid from MADD tape] You'll also see more State Troopers on patrol. Mothers Against Drunk Driving designated this National Sobriety Checkpoint Week...and the U-H-P will enforce it. [SOT] (**SOT**) [SOURCE=madd tape] [INQ=9:22 no matter where ] [OUTQ=out on the street] [CG=1-Col. Richard Greenwood/Utah Highway Patrol] [RUNS=:05] (("NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE AT IN THE STATE OF UTAH.. YOU'LL SEE MORE HIGHWAY PATROL OUT ON THE STREET.")) [archive shots] And where's everyone headed?...the great outdoors in great numbers... Zion...Bryce Canyon...and Bear Lake are among the most popular spots. [:16 beauty shot of mountains] [SND UP] (*SND UP*) [RUNS=:01] [8:45, two-shots with mother] [8:55-10:00, family campers] Shawna Bursett called three weeks ago to get this site for her family in Little Cottonwood Canyon. [:31-:53, reserved sign] It's a good thing she did...all the sites in the campground are booked. [SOT] (**SOT**) [SOURCE=holiday] [INQ=7:17 I'm expecting a lot of people...] [OUTQ=7:24 coming from Ogden today.] [CG=1-Shawna Bursett/Camper] [RUNS=:07] ((Shawna Bursett/Camper: I'M EXPECTING A LOT OF PEOPLE...WE'RE EXPECTING A LOT OF PEOPLE...THE TRAFFIC WAS BAD COMING FROM OGDEN TODAY.)) [SOT] (**SOT**) [SOURCE=holiday ] [INQ=10:24 Many of the most ] [OUTQ=10:41 last-minute camping.] [RUNS=:17] ((Jed Boal/Eyewitness News: MANY OF THE MOST POPULAR CAMPGROUNDS IN STATE AND NATIONAL PARK CAMPGROUNDS ARE ALREADY BOOKED. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RESERVATION, YOU MIGHT WANT TO CALL AHEAD TO MAKE SURE THE PLACE YOU'RE GOING IS NOT FULL. B-L-M CAMPGROUNDS AND WILDERNESS AREAS MIGHT BE YOUR BEST BETS FOR LAST MINUTE CAMPING.)) [5:52-6:24, margaret at table] Magaret Schulha is on a two-month trip from California...covering a lot of ground... [5:30, two-shot with margaret] ...like most Americans she won't put the brakes on this weekend just because gas prices are up. [cover end of last bite with vid] [11:18, beauty shot with sun thru trees] [SOT] (**SOT**) [SOURCE=holiday] [INQ=4:28 My car gives me pretty good...] [OUTQ=4:35 when you go camping.] [CG=1-Margaret Schulha/Camper] [RUNS=:07] ((Margaret Schulha/Camper: MY CAR GIVES ME PRETTY GOOD MILEAGE. WHEN YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE...IT'S A PRETTY CHEAP VACATION ANYWAY WHEN YOU GO CAMPING.)) Right now gas averages a dollar-52 a gallon in Utah...slightly higher than the national average. Be glad you don't live in the midwest...folks there are spending around two-dollars a gallon...nearly twice what they paid a year ago..